Machine for making bolts and the like



March 12, 1935. w, CLOUSE 1,994,242

MACHINE FOR MAKING BOLTS AND THE LIKE Filed May 9, 1933 20 a A; g 27 29Zhwentor MAL/AM Z. [Am/.55.

a description of which follows, not being limited Patented Mar. 12, 1935MACHINE FOR MAKING BoL'rs AND THE LIKE William L. Clouse, Tiflin, Ohio,assignor to The National Machinery Company, a corporation of OhioApplication May 9, 1933, Serial No. 670,108

14 Claims.

adapted for certain installations and of a simpler construction. 1

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the forward end of a bolt making machineshowing the transfer mechanism of the present invention applied thereto;and i t Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on theline 2--2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, I have illustratedmy invention inconnection with a machine of the type shown, in the aforesaid copendingapplication, the machine illustrated being particularly adapted for themanufacture of bolts, screws and the like. 'me'ral 5 designates a bedframe having at its forward extremity a die breast 6. A header slide 7is mounted to reciprocate longitudinally of the frame 5, and in order tocarry out the process of bolt manufacture as set forth in my aboveapplication, said slide is provided with a plurality of punches 8, 9 and10 adapted to co-operate with dies 11, 12 and 13 in the breast plate 6.The die 11 is an extrusion die into which the bolt blank is pressed bythe punch 8 to reduce the diameter of the major portion of the blank;the die 12 is also an extrusion die for extruding the threadreceivingportionof the bolt shank, the cooperating punch 9 being a heading toolwhich presses the blank into the die and also upsets the previouslyunextruded portion to form a head; while the die 13 is aholding diewhich cooperates with the hollow trimming punch 10 which trims the upsetheads of the blanks to the desired polygonal form. 'It will beunderstood, of course, that any de sired combination and types ofpunches and dies.

may be used, the improved transfer mechanism,

by the illustrated embodiment. It will likewise be understood that thegeneral construction and type of the machine may be varied to suit theparticular article being made.

Wire or rod stock S is fed through a guide 14 and the bed frame 5 andengages an adjustabh stock gauge 15. A cut-off arm 16 is arranged toengage the stock, shear off blanks of the desired The reference nu-.

length and carry the same into alignment with the die 11. Arm 16 ispivotally anchored to the bed frame 5 at 17 and is oscillated by a cam18 contacting a cam roller 19 rotatably mounted at the one end of saidarm. Cam 18 is secured on a cam shaft 20 which extends back and isdriven from the main crankshaft of the machine, not here shown.

, During each cycle of the machine, the arm 16 is rocked by cam 18 toshear off a blank and carrytlie same in'to alignment with the die 11during the time the header slide 7 is retracting and then returns to itsinitial position to receive another'blank while the slide is movingforward into engagement with the work. Although I prefer to use thiscut-oil arm, it will be understood that my present invention is notlimited thereto and that any desired type of cut-off mechanism may beused.

The transfer mechanism which comprises the features of the. presentinvention is adapted for carrying blanks from the die 11 to the die 12and from the die 12 to the die 13, and as shown in its preferred formconsists of. an oscillating and reciprocating transfer finger support orbeam 21 which is slidably and pivotally mounted at its one extremity asby having a slot 22 riding on a bearing roll 23 mounted on an upstandingbracket 24 fixed to or formed integrally with the stationary frame orbed plate of the machine. At its opposite end, the support or beam 21 isprovided with means for rocking it on its pivotal mounting such as thelink 25 pivoted to a lever 26 which in turn is pivotally anchored as at27 to the frame or bed plate 5. The. link, as shown, is provided with.ball and socket connections 25a to accommodate the reciprocatory andoscillatory movement of the beam 21. Lever 26 is actuated in anysuitable way, as by means of a cam 28 which is mounted on a shaft 29,the latter extending back and being driven from the main crankshaft ofthe machine or through the medium of any other suitable synchronizeddriving 'connection. If desired the cam may be positioned on the camshaft 20.and the motion transmitted to the free end of the beam 21 bysuitable connections extending laterally across the machine. Cam 28contacts with a roller 30 rotatably mounted on lever 26. It will be seenthat when cam 28 rotates, it actuates lever 26 and effects anoscillatory move;- ment, or raises and lowers the support or beam 21about its sliding pivotal connection 23. To effect a reciprocatorymovement of the support or beam 21, the latter is connected to thecut-off arm 16 by means of a connecting rod 31.

The blanks are gripped and carried from one die to another by means oftransfer fingers 32, 32a and 33, 33a. These fingers are each pivotallyanchored to the support or beam 21 as at 34. At their upper ends,compression springs 35 are positioned between the fingers to continuallyurge the gripping extremities thereof toward one another, or to agripping position. The lever portions 32b and 33b of the fingers 32 and33 are each preferably shorter than the corresponding portions 320 and330 of the fingers 32a and 33a,

so that the springs 35 normally effect a greater leverage force on thefingers 32a and 33a than on the fingers 32 and 33. Abutment or setscrews 36 are threaded through bracketstl'l formedv on the beam orsupport 21 and are adapted to abut the fingers 32a and 33a. By adjustingthese screws, the gripping portions of the sets of fingers may beadjusted so that they will register correctly with the openings in thedies 11, 12 and 13. The ends of the fingers are preferably provided withhardened wear plates as at 38, 3811 which are formed with beveled endsurfaces to permit the fingers to be forced open and snapped over a boltblank.

In operation, during each cycle of movement of the header slide 7, thecut-off arm 16 acts to shear off a blank and carry it into alignmentwith the die 11, while the header slide is retracted. During thismovement, the transfer finger-support or beam 21 is caused to movelaterally due to itslink connection with the arm 16 so that the fingers32, 32a move from a position in alignment with the die 11 to a positionin alignment with the die 12 and the fingers 33, 33a similarly move fromthe die 12 to the die 13. The header slide again approaches the dies andengages the various blanks to start their movement into the dies. Atthis time cam 28 contacts roller 30 and effects an upward oscillatorymovement of the support or beam 21, thereby pulling upwardly on thefingers 32, 32a and 33, 33a, causing the latter to snap off of theblanks, leaving the latter in the dies 12 and 13 as the header slidecontinues its forward movement to press the blanks into the dies andperform the various operations upon the same. Arm 16 then moves to theleft carrying with it support or beam 21, the cam 28 in conjunction withthe arm 16 causing said support or beam and the transfer fingers carriedthereby to describe an arc, so that the fingers lower and move down intoregistration with the dies 11 and 12 and snap over blanks held therein.

It will be understood that numerous modifications and changes andre-arrangements of the structure may be adopted within the scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bolt making machine, a bed frame, a plurality of aligned diessupported by said frame, a reciprocating header slide having a punchcooperating with each die, means for feeding wire or rod stock, acut-off arm movably mounted on said frame and adapted to cut off lengthsof stock and carry the same to the first of said dies, coacting transferfingers adapted to engage and releasably retain said lengths of stock, asupport for said fingers having apivotal and slidable mounting at oneextremity and means connected to its opposite extremity for oscillatingsaid support, and means connected to said arm for reciprocating saidsupport simultaneously with its oscillatory movement to cause thetransfer fingers to transfer lengths of stock from one die to another insynchronism with the movement of said slide.

2. In a bolt making machine, a bed frame,- a plurality of aligned diessupported by said frame, a reciprocating header slide having a punchcooperating with each die, means for feeding wire or rod stock, acut-off arm mounted on said frame and arranged to be moved to cutofflengths of stock and carry the same to the first of said dies, aplurality of sets of co-acting transfer fingers adapted to engage andreleasably-retain bolt blanks formed from the lengths of stock, aslidably and pivotally mounted support for said sets of fingers, andmeans for oscillating and reciprocating said support to thereby move thesets of transfer fingers as a unit into alternate blankgrippingregistration with said dies and effect transfer of blanks from one dieto another in synchronism with the movement of said slide.

3. In a bolt making machine, a bed frame, a plurality .of aligned diessupported by said frame, a reciprocating header slide having a punchcooperating with each die, means for feeding wire or,

rod stock, a cut-off arm movably mounted on said frame and adapted tocut off lengths of said stock and carry the same to the first of saiddies, a plurality of sets of co-aoting transfer fingers adapted to havea snap engagement with blanks formed from the lengths of stock, a commonsupporting member for said sets of fingers, said supporting member beingslidably and pivotally anchored at one extremity and extending laterallyover said dies,'means for oscillating said memher, and means connectedtosaid arm for simultaneously reciprocating saidmember to thereby movesaid sets of fingers as a unit in an arcuate plane to effect transfer ofblanks from onedie to another in synchronism with the movement of saidslide. 7

4. In a bolt making machine, a bed frame, a plurality of aligned diessupported by said frame, a reciprocating header slide having a punchcooperating with each die, means for feding wire or rod stock, means forcutting off lengths of stock and carrying the same to the first of saiddies, a plurality of sets of co-acting transfer fingers adapted to havea snap engagement with bolt blanks formed from the lengths of stock, asupporting beam on which said fingers are mounted, and means forreciprocating and simultaneously oscillating said beam to effecttransfer movements of said fingers with respect to said diesin'synchronism with themovement of said slide.

5. In a bolt making machine, a bed frame, a plurality of aligned diessupported by said frame, a reciprocating header slide having a punchcooperating with each die, means for feeding wire or rod stock, anoscillating cut-01f arm pivoted to said frame and adapted to cut offlengths of stock and carry the same to the first of said dies, aplurality of sets of co-acting transfer fingers adapted to have a snapengagement with bolt blanks formed from the lengths of stock, a beampositioned above said dies and adapted to serve as a support for saidfingers, said beam having a slidable and pivotal connection at oneextremity with a relatively stationary part of the machine and havingsaid sets of fingers mounted on its opposite free extremity in positionssuch as will effect approximate blank-gripping registration with saiddies, cam means for oscillating the free end of said beam, andmeansconnectedto said arm for simultaneously reciprocating. said .beamto thereby effect transfer movements of said fingers with respect tosaid dies.

6. In a bolt making machine, a plurality of aligned dies, a plurality ofsets of transfer fin! gers adapted to transfer bolt blanks from one dieto another, a movable support for said fingers, each set comprising apair of fingers which are separately pivoted to said support, eachfinger being provided with a lever portion extending between theextremities of said lever portions for normally urging'theblank-gripping extremities of the fingers toward one another, and anadjusting and abutment screw carried by said support and adapted forcontact with the finger having the longest lever portion for adjustingthe said gripping extremities relative to said dies.

'7. In a bolt making machine, a plurality of aligned dies, a pluralityof sets of transfer fingers adapted to transfer bolt blanks from one dieto another, a movable support for said fingers, each set comprising apair of fingers which areseparately pivoted to said support, each fingerbeing provided with a lever portion extending beyond its pivotalconnection, one of said lever portions being longer than the other toeffect relatively greater leverage with respect to the remaining finger,an abutment for limiting the arcuate movement of the finger having thelonger lever portion, and spring means engaging said lever portions forurging the blank gripping extremities of the fingers toward one another.

8. ,In a multiple station machine, transfer mechanism for moving blanksfrom one station to another in said machine including an elongatedsupporting bar having a pivotal and slidable mounting on said machine, aplurality of sets of transfer fingers on said bar for. engaging aplurality of blanks to move the same from one station to another, meansfor rocking said bar on its pivotal mounting about an axis substantiallyperpendicular to its length, and means fdr sliding said bar relative tosaid machine;

9. In a multiple,station upsetting machine having a plurality of diestations arranged in a straight line. transfer mechanism for movingblanks from one station to another including a bar arrangedsubstantially parallel with. the line of die stations and having apivotal and slidable mounting on said machine, nieans on said bar forengaging-blanks to move the same from one die station to' another, meansfor rocking said bar on its pivotal mounting toward and away from saiddie stations, and means for sliding said bar. 10., In a multiple stationupsetting machine 7 having a plurality of'die stations arranged in astraight line, transfer mechanism for moving blanks from one station toanother including a bar arranged substantially parallel with the line ofdies, one end of said bar being pivotally and slidablymounted on saidmachine, means on'said bar intermediate its ends ,for engaging blanks tomove the same from one station to another,-

means for rocking said bar on its pivotal mounting to swing the free endthereof toward and away from said line ofdie stations, and means forsliding said bar longitudinally.

11. In a multiple station upsetting machine having a pluralityof diesarranged in astraight blank engaging means on said bar to move a blankfrom the first die into alignment with the second die, blank engagingmeans on said bar to move a blank from the second die to thethird .die,means for rocking said bar on its pivotal mounting to bring said blankengaging means into p ition to engage blanks ejected from the first andsecond dies, respectively,.and means for sliding said bar to move theblanks to the second and third dies, respectively, and to return saidbar to its initial position.-

12. In a multiple station upsetting machine having a plurality of diesarranged ina straight line and a reciprocating slide having a pluralityof hammers for co-operating with said dies to upset solid metal blanks,means for feeding rod or wire stock, cut-off mechanism for cutting'oillengths 'of said stock and carrying the same into alignment with thefirst of said dies, a bar pivotally and slidably mounted on saidmachine, blank engaging means on said bar to move a blank from the firstdieinto alignment with the second die, blank engaging means on said barto move a blank from the second die to the third die, means for rockingsaid bar on its pivotal mounting to bring said blank engaging means intoposition to engage blanks ejected from the first and second dies,respectively, and means for sliding said bar tov move the blanks to thesecond and third dies, respectively, and to return said bar to itsinitial position during the engagement of the hammers with the blanks.

13. In a multiple station upsetting machine having a plurality of diesarranged in a straight line and a reciprocating slide having a pluralityof hammers for co-operating with said dies to upset solid metal blanks,means for feeding rod or wire stock, cut-off mechanism for cutting of!lengths of said stock and carrying the same into alignment with thefirst of said dies, a bar pivotally and slidably mounted on saidmachine, blank engaging means on said barto move a blank from the firstdie into alignment with the second die, blank engaging means on said barto move a blank from the seconddie to the third die, means for rockingsaid bar on its-pivotal mounting to bring said blank engaging means intoposition to engage blanks ejected from the first and second dies,respectively, and means connecting said bar to saidcut-off mechanism toeffect sliding movement of said bar and transfer of the blanks from thefirst die to the second,

and from the second die to the third.

14. In a multiple station upsetting machine, a frame havinga pair ofdies mounted therein, means for transferring blanks from one of saiddies to the other comprising a bar having a sliding and pivotal mountingupon said frame, a pair of co operating transfer fingers carriedv bysaid bar and having gripping seats for gripping and holding a blank,means for causing said bar to slide and pivot upon its aforesaidmounting including a driving member connected to said bar adjacent anend thereof, said connection being spaced from the pivotal .point ofsaid sliding and pivotal mounting a greater distance than said pivotalpoint is spaced fromsaid gripping seats throughout the operating cycleof the transfer means.

' L. CLOUSE.

